Picture frame



GYO FUJIKAWA Dec. 3, 11957 PICTURE FRAME Filed June 29', 1955 J r 2Sheets-Shae 1 o h'q'lkamcg INVENTOR.

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Dec. 3, 1957 GYO FUJIKAWA PICTURE FRAME '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29,1955 FIG. 6

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United States Patent PICTURE FRAME Gyo Fujikawa, New York, N. Y.Application June 29, 1955, Serial No. 518,737 7 Claims. (Cl. 40-155)This invention relates to a picture frame and particularly :to such aframe that is made from a cardboard blank that may if desired also carrythe picture that is to be framed in the frame.

In advertising and promotional work it is quite common to provide framedpictures that are made from cardboard and with the border edges of thecardboard so formed that they may be folded to form a raised frame aboutthe picture area. In such prior framed pictures, it has been necessaryto secure the folded frame elements in position either by means ofstaples or adhesive, and this has been considered to be objectionable inmany instances. In view of the foregoing it is the primary object of thepresent invention to enable such framed pictures to be produced from asingle sheet of cardboard or the like without the necessity foremploying adhesive or fastening devices such as staples, and another andmore specific object of the invention is to provide a device of theaforesaid character which may be folded and assembled from its fiat formmerely through the use of securing tabs which hold the parts firmly inthe desired relationship.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims, and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which, by way of illustration, show a preferredembodiment, of the present invention and the principles thereof, andWhat I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplatedapplying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodyingthe same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes maybe made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing fromthe invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a framed picture embodying thefeatures of the invention and shown in its fully erected or assembledform;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the lines 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyalong the lines 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan or face view of a cardboard blank embodying thefeatures of the invention and from which the assembled framed picture ofFig. 1 may be produced;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one of the firststeps in the erection or assembly of the frame;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating one of thesubsequent steps in the assembly of the frame; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary rear elevational views of one corner ofthe fully assembled frame showing further steps in assembling andlocking the securing tabs.

For purposes of disclosure the invention is illustrated as embodied in apicture frame 20 that is shown in Figs. 1 to 3 in its fully erected orassembled form, and made from a blank 120, Fig. 4. The blank 120 is madefrom a single sheet of cardboard or the like, and when fully erected orassembled as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a rectangular picture area 21 isprovided that is bordered by a frame having top and bottom frameelements 22T and 22B and having side frame elements 22L and 22R. Theseframe elements are so formed and related as to give the appearance ofmitered corner joints 23, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Underand in accordance with the present invention the picture area 21 and allof the border or side frame elements are provided from a single sheet ofcardboard, and while the picture area may serve as a mounting surface toreceive an independent picture printed on paper or the like, this areamay be advantageously used as a base surface upon which the desiredpicture is directly printed by known processes.

In providing picture frame 20 of Fig. 1, a blank is formed fromcardboard or like material in the shape and relationship shown in Fig. 4of the drawings, and as shown in Fig. 4 the picture area 21 isillustrated as being defined by dot dash lines as at 121. About the sideedges of the picture area 121, the cardboard material is extended in anormal or uncreased relationship to fold lines 25L and 25R that arespaced outwardly from a parallel to the vertical side edges of thepicture area, while at the top the uncre'ased body portion of the blankis extended to a horizontal fold line 2ST that is parallel to a spaceupwardly from the upper edge of the picture area 21, and at its loweredge the uncreased area extends to a lower fold line 25B. The areasbetween the fold lines 25 and the lines 121 constitute border areas overwhich the frame elements 22 are formed as will be described.

The fold lines 25L and 25R and the fold lines 2ST and 25B define theouter extremities of the frame 20, and these fold lines serve to joinmultiple panel extensions to the main body of the blank in such a waythat these extensions may be folded to provide the several frameelements 22. Thus the upper fold line 2ST serves to join a narrow sidepanel 26T to the upper edge of the main body of the blank, and beyondthis side panel 26T a somewhat larger or wider face panel 27T is joinedby a fold line 2ST. At the other edge of the face panel 27T, a securingpanel 29T is joined by means of a fold line 30T. At opposite ends, theside panel 26T has closure tabs 31T that are tapered along one edge asshown in Fig. 4 and these tabs 31T are joined to the said panel by foldlines 32T. At opposite ends of the securing panel 29T, relatively longtapered securing tabs 33T are provided and these tabs are secured to theends of the securing panel 29T by fold lines 34T. It will be observedthat the fold lines 32T and 34T are in each instance formed ascontinuations of the fold lines 25L and 25R, and this is important inthe assembly of the frame 20, as will become apparent hereinafter.

Along the lower edge of the main body of the blank a similar multiplepanel extension is provided in what amounts to a reverse relationshipand the corresponding elements of this lower series of panels and tabsare identified in Fig. 4 by the same reference characters using thesufiix B in each instance rather than the suffix T.

Along the opposite sides of the main body of the blank as defined by thefold lines 25L and 25R similar sets of panels and tabs are arranged toafford multiple panel extensions, and the specific form thereof will bedescribed with respect to those panels and tabs that are ass0- ciatedwith the left hand side of the main body of the blank. Thus, the foldline 25L serves to connect a side panel 26L to the main body of theblank, the ends of this side panel being formed as oontinuations of thetop and bottom fold lines 2ST and 2513. The outer edge of the side panel26L i's defined by a fold line 28L which serves to connect a face panel27L to the side panel 26L. The ends of the face panel 27L are formed inwhat may be termed a mitered relationship in that they are disposed atan angle of to the fold lines 2ST and 25B, and these mitered ends areidentified as ends 127L in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The outer edge of theface panel 27L is w defined by a fold line 30L which connects the facepanel 27L with a securing panel 29L and this securing panel 29L hasrelatively long tapered securing tabs 33L ex tended from the endsthereof and connected thereto by transverse fold lines 34L. Intermediatethe ends thereof the tabs 33L have transverse fold lines 35L tofacilitate assembly of the frame. The fold lines 341. are parallel tothe fold lines 251 and 253, but since the mitered ends 127L are formedin the manner shown in Fig. 4, the two fold lines 34L are spaced fromeach other at a distance that is equal to the spacing between the topand bottom edges of the picture area 21.

In this respect it should be noted that the several panels 27 are ofequal width and that this width is just slightly greater than thedistance between the fold lines 25 and the adjacent edge of the picturearea 21 so as to allow for the angular positioning of the face panels 27in the final assembly of the frame.

The panel and tab arrangement on the right hand side of the main body ofthe blank is the same as that above described with respect to the lefthand side of the blank, and the various elements are identified by somereference characters using the suffix R instead of the suffix L.

In the border area between the upper fold line 2ST and the upper edge ofthe picture area 21, a plurality of openings 36 are formed in the blank,these openings being concealed when the frame 20 is assembled andserving as a simple and convenient means for hanging the picture frameon a wall or the like.

The several securing tabs 33 are arranged to be passed through suitableopenings in the main body of the blank to effect assembly of the frame20, and for this purpose a plurality of slits identified generally asslits 40, 41 and 42 are provided in specific locations and relationshipsas will be described. Thus two of such slits 40 are provided in andalong each of the fold lines 25L and 25R, as will be evident in Fig. 4-of the drawings. The upper slits 40TL and 40TR are so disposed thattheir lower ends are directly opposite horizontal extensions of theupper border line 121; these slits extend upwardly for a distancesubstantially equal to the base width of the securing tabs 3ST.Similarly the lower two slots 40BL and 40 BR are disposed so that theirupper ends are located opposite horizontal extensions of the lowerborder line 121, and these lower slots 40BL and 40BR extend downwardlyfor a distance substantially equal to the base width of the tabs 3313.

The slits 41 are all of a length equal to the base width of the tabs 33Land 33R, and these slits are disposed in alignment with and at oppositeends of the upper and lower border lines 121 of the picture area, andeach such slit 41 has one end located at the related corner of thepicture area 21. Thus the slit 41TL extends to the left from the upperleft corner of the area 21, the slit 41TR extends to the right from theupper right corner of the area 21, the slit 41BL extends to the leftfrom the lower left corner of the area 21, and the slit 41BR extends tothe right from the lower right corner of the area 21.

The slits 42 are parallel to the corresponding slits 41 and are spacedtherefrom in such a distance that after a tab 33B or 3.3T has beenpassed through its slit 40, as shown in Fig. 7, such tab 33B or 33T maybe extended flat along the rear face of the border portion and will bedisposed in the space between the related slits 41 and 42. The slits 42are, however, spaced from the adjacent main fold line 25B or 2ST, andwith this arrangement the related tab 33L or 33R, after insertionthrough the related slit 41, may be extended across the tab 33B or 33Tand may then be bent slightly along the lines 35L and 35R, as shown inFig. 7, and then inserted at their end into the related slit 42, therebyto lock the tab 3313 or 33T firmly against the back of the assembly.

As above pointed out, the blank 120 may be produced with a printedpicture in the picture area thereof, and the blank may be packed andshipped in the flat condition shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Then whenthe user is to erect or assemble the picture, the several side frameelements are formed by folding the several multiple panel extensionsinto a hollow form in which the assembly or securing panel 29 isdisposed in a concealed position within the hollow frame element, and inthe course of this folding and assembly operation in respect to theseveral side frame elements, the ends of the side frame elements areanchored in their folded or assembled relationship through manipulationof the several securing flaps 33, and the corner edges of the hollow endframe elements are closed by locating the closure flaps 31T and 3113 sothat they extend into the ends of the adjacent hollow side frameelements.

The folding and securing operations are performed in what might betermed a predetermined sequence in that the bottom and top frameelements 22B and 22T are first folded and secured in position, andthereafter the other side frame elements 22L and 22R are folded andsecured in position as will be described.

The folding and securing operation with respect to the top and bottomframe elements 221 and 22B are substantially the same, and the severaloperations that are required will be described in detail with respect tothe bottom frame elements 2213. Thus the bottom frame element 22B isfolded into its assembled form by folding the several panels along foldlines 25B, 28B and 3013, thus to form these panels into substantiallythe relationship shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and in thisrelationship it will be noted that the securing panel 293 is locatedbeneath the face panel 27B. The securing tabs 33B are then bent orfolded downwardly along the lines 3413 so as to be perpendicular to thesecuring panel 29B, and the ends of these tabs are then inserted throughthe slits 40BL and 40BR. The tabs 33BL and 33BR are drawn to theirfullest extent through these slits so as to thereby position thesecuring panel 29B fiat against the related border portion of the blank,and when this has been done, the uniform and continuous edge formedalong and by the fold line 30B is located at the lower border line 121of the picture area 21.

The upper frame element 22T is then folded and secured in position inthe menner just described with respect to the lower frame elements.

The two side frame elements 22L and 22R are then folded to their desiredform and are secured in position, and since these operations aresubstantially the same in respect to both of these side frame elements,the operations required will be described in detail only with respect tothe formation of the side frame element 22L. Thus the side frame element22L is formed by folding the left hand multiple panel extension alongthe fold lines 25L, 28L and 30L and this locates the securing panel 29Lunderneath face panel 27L in the general relationship shown in Fig. 6 ofthe drawings. When this has been done, the two securing tabs 33L arebent along the fold lines 34L so as to extend downwardly at right angleswith respect to the securing panel 29L. The ends of the tabs 33L arethen inserted into the slits 41TL and 41BL, and at this point in theoperation, the left hand closure flaps 31T and 31B are bent into suchpositions that they extend into the frame element 22L. In other words,these closure flaps are located so as to bear against the inner face ofthe side panel 26L as will be evident in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Thetabs 33L are then drawn downwardly through the slits to their fullestextent, thus to engage the edge portion of the frame element 22L withthe blank at the left hand border 121 of the picture area. When this hasbeen done, the mitered edges 127L extend downwardly and inwardly at anangle along the upper face of the face panels 27B and 27T and this givesthe appearance of a mitered corner joint in the frame.

After all of the tabs 33 have been inserted, as above described, thetabs are interlocked in a flat relationship on and against the back ofthe frame as shown in detail in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Thus, withrespect to the particular corner section that is illustrated in Fig. 7,the tab 33B is bent into position against the back of the frame and inthis position it extends between the two slits 41BL and 42BL. The tab33L is then bent toward a flat position wherein it extends across thetab 33B, and the end portion of the tab 33L is bent along the line 35L,as shown in Fig. 7, and is inserted through the slot 42BL so that itassumes what may be termed a locking position, as shown in Fig. 8, andthe tab 33L in turn acts to hold the tab 33B in a flat, locked position.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention enables a picture frame made of cardboard or like material tobe folded and secured in its assembled relationship without thenecessity for using staples or adhesive. Moreover the locking tabarrangement that is afforded in the picture frame of the presentinvention is simple in character and is adapted to be manipulatedreadily and easily in the erection of the picture frame.

Thus, while I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention,and have described the same as applied to rectangular frames, the sametheory and arrangement of locking tabs may be applied to other polygonalshapes, and it will be evident that changes and modifications may bemade therein by persons skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A carboard picture frame structure, adapted for assembly by foldingand interlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassembled form, a onepiece blank made from cardboard and providing a rectangular picture areawith border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased andrigid relation to said picture area, four sets of multiple panelextensions connected along main mold lines to the outer edges of therespective border areas and foldable to form a hollow frame about saidpicture area and overlying said border areas, each of said multiplepanel extensions including a narrow assembly panel adapted to be foldedto a concealed position within such hollow frame, each of said assemblypanels having elongated securing tabs extended from its opposite endsand connected thereto along fold lines, two oppositely positioned onesof said main fold lines having slits formed therein to receive certainof said securing flaps, and said border areas having two parallel slitsformed therein adjacent each corner of the blank to receive the othersecuring flaps.

2. A carboard picture frame structure adapted for assembly by foldingand interlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassembled form, a onepiece blank made from cardboard and providing a rectangular picture areawith border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased andrigid relation to said picture area, four sets of multiple panelextensions connected along main fold lines to the outer edges of therespective border areas and foldable to form a hollow frame about saidpicture area and overlying said border areas, each of said multiplepanel extensions including a narrow assembly panel adapted to be foldedto a concealed position within such hollow frame, each of said assemblypanels having elongated securing tabs extended from its opposite endsand connected thereto along fold lines, two oppositely positioned onesof said main fold lines having slits formed therein adjacent to eachcorner of said picture area to receive certain of said securing flaps,said border areas having a slit formed therein adjacent each corner ofthe blank to receive the other securing flaps, and a locking slit formedin said border areas adjacent and in parallel spaced relation to one ofthe aforesaid slits at each corner whereby a tab passing through suchone of the aforesaid slits may be extended over the other tab at suchcorner and inserted into the related locking slit to hold such other tabflat against the back of the border area.

3. A cardboard picture frame structure adapted for assembly by foldingand interlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassembled form, a onepiece blank made from cardboard and providing a rectangular picture areawith border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased andrigid relation to said picture area, four sets of multiple panelextensions connected along main fold lines to the outer edges of therespective border areas and foldable to form a hollow frame about saidpicture area and overlying said border areas, each of said multiplepanel extensions including a narrow assembly panel adapted to be foldedto a concealed position within such hollow frame, each of said assemblypanels having elongated securing tabs extended from its opposite endsand connected thereto along fold lines, said blank having a pair ofright angularly related slits formed therein adjacent each corner toreceive the respective securing flaps, and said border areas having aplurality of slits formed therein with one such slit disposed paralleland in spaced relation to one of the slits of each of the foregoingpairs to receive and lock the end of one tab at each corner of theframe.

4. A cardboard picture frame structure adapted for assembly by foldingand interlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassembled form, a onepiece blank made from cardboard and providing a rectangular picture areawith border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased andrigid relation to said picture area, four multiple panel extensionsconnected along main fold lines tothe outer edges of said border areasat the respective sides of said blank, each of said multiple panelextensions comprising a narrow side panel that is joined as aforesaid bya fold line to the related border area of the blank, a wider face panelconnected by a fold line to the related side panel, and a narrowassembly panel connected by a fold line to the related face panel, eachof said assembly panels having elongated securing tabs extended from itsopposite ends and connected thereto along fold lines, the face panels oftwo oppositely located extensions having the ends thereof formed in amitered relation such that the assembly panels thereof are of a lengthequal to the length of the adjacent side of said picture area, the mainfold lines joining the side panels of said two extensions to said borderareas having slits formed therein to receive the securing flaps of theother extensions, and said border areas having two parallel slits formedtherein adjacent each corner of the blank to receive the securing flapsof the other extensions.

5. A cardboard picture frame adapted for assembly by folding andinterlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassembled form, a onepiece blank made from cardboard and providing a rectangular picture areawith border areas of equal Width formed about and in an uncreased andrigid relation to said picture area, a first pair of multiple panelextensions connected along fold lines to the outer edges of said borderareas at two opposite sides of said blank, and a second pair of multiplepanel extensions connected along fold lines to the outer edges of saidborder areas at the other two opposite sides of said blank, each of saidmultiple panel extensions comprising a narrow side panel that is joinedas aforesaid by a fold line to the related border area of the blank, awider face panel connected by a fold line to the related side panel, anda narrow assembly panel connected by a fold line to the related facepanel, each of said assembly panels having elongated securing tabsextended from its opposite ends and connected thereto along fold lines,the face panels of a first one of said pairs having the ends thereofformed in a mitered relation such that the assembly panels of said firstpair are of a length equal to the length of the adjacent side of saidpicture area, the fold lines joining the side panels of said first pairto said border areas having slits formed therein to receive the securingI flaps of saidfirst pair, and said borderarea's having two parallelslits formed therein adjacent each corner of the blank to receive thesecuring fiaps of the second pair of panels:

6. A" cardboard picture frame adapted for assembly by folding andinterlocking of tabs, and comprising, in its unassernbled form, a onepiece blank made from cardboard and providinga rectangular picture areawith border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased andrigid relation to said picture area, a first pair of multiple panelextensions connected along fold lines to the outer edges of said borderareas at two opposite sides of said blank, and a second pair of multiplepanel extensions connected along fold lines to the outer edges of saidborder areas at the other two opposite sides of said blank, each of saidmultiple panel extensions comprising a'narrow side panel that is joinedas aforesaid by a fold line to the related border area of the blank, awider face panel connected by a fold line to the related side panel, anda narrow assembly panel connected'by a fold line to the related facepanel, saidpanel extensions being foldable to provide fora hollow framesurrounding said picture area and overlying said border areas, closureflaps at the ends of certain of said side panels for closing the cornersof the frame, each of said assembly panels having elongated securingtabs extending from its opposite ends and connected thereto along foldlines, the face panels of a first one of said pairs having the. endsthereof formed in a mitered relation such that the assembly panels ofsaid first pair are of a length equal to the adjacent side of saidpicture area, the fold lines joiningthe sidepanels of said first pair tosaid border areas having slits formed therein toreceive the securingflaps of said first pair, and

said border areas having two parallel slits-formed-therein adjacent eachcorner of the blank to receive the securing flaps of the second pair ofpanels. I

7. A cardboard picture frame structure adapted for assembly by foldingand interlocking of tabs, and-comprising, in its unassembled form, a onepiece blank made from cardboard and providing a polygonal picture areawith border areas of equal width formed about and in an uncreased andrigid relation to said picture area, sets of multiple panel extensionsconnected respectively along main fold lines to the outer edges of therespective border areas and foldable to form a hollow frame about saidpicture area and overlying said border areas, eachof said multiple panelextensions including a narrow assembly panel adapted to be folded to aconcealed position within such hollow frame, each of said assemblypanels having elongated securing tabs extended from its opposite endsand connected thereto along fold lines, said blankhaving a pair of rightangularly related slits formed therein adjacent each corner to receivethe respective securing flaps, and said border areas having a pluralityofother slits formed therein with one such other slit disposed paralleland in spaced relation to one of the slits of each of the foregoingpairs to receive and-lock the end of one tab at each corner of theframe.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS796,310 Fisher Aug. 1, 1905 2,181,827 Zimmerman Nov; 2 8, 1939 2,562,590Viglietta July 31, 1951

